Oxford

The Oxford name appears in Wahl’s line-up in three separate phases. The first is one in which it is almost unavowed by the maker, and has the appearance of a sub-brand, like Wasp was to Sheaffer. Appearing in the 1920s, these are flat-top pens of various decoration, and I’ve seen it speculated that they were a way for Wahl to sell off excess runs of pens made for outside concerns.

The Wahl name actually appears on Oxfords in the early 1930s, when the line is offered as a low-end alternative to the Dorics and Equipoises. With a rather long profile and a strangely top-heavy clip mounting, they do look very much like the less radically-tapered forms of Equipoise. This breed of Oxfords lasted until about 1936.

The final exhibition of Oxfords appeared in 1939, and was of a similar nature to the previous bunch, but of a rather more conservative outline. There was a little more variation in this bunch, though, as one could have an Esterbrook-style “Select-o-Point” with a gold-plated point or a fixed gold point in a couple of different trims. When the company recast its name in 1941, these pens stayed Wahls, apparently to avoid sullying the prestige lines.

Production Run: Mid-1920s, 1931 – 1936, 1939 – 1941

Cost When New: Unclear on the earliest versions. The ’31 – ’36 crowd cost $1.00, and the last run was $1.00 to $1.50 depending on the variation one chose (for modern values, try this calculator).

Filler: Lever, capacity approx. 1.3 ml or twist (which I’ve not been able to examine).

Wahl Oxford (1931-1936) – you see what I mean about “oddly top-heavy”?

This desk pen bears an Oxford point, so one makes a rash assumption that it is also an Oxford. The patents listed on the base’s sticker suggest it is not earlier than late 1933. Note also the lack of threads on the barrel; this is a dedicated desk pen (length 19.7 cm).

If you are relying on the preceding information to win a bet or impress a teacher, you should read the site’s scholarly caveat. Remember, this is the internet, and it’s full of bad information.

Permanent link to this article: http://dirck.delint.ca/beta/?page_id=3189